THE names of more than 1,500 schools - including at least 25 from Merseyside - interested in becoming an academy were published by the Government.

Union leaders have been calling on Education Secretary Michael Gove to disclose the names, citing concerns that staff and parents were being left in the dark, and that a failure to do so would show an “undemocratic” lack of “openness and transparency”.

The list reveals that 828 schools rated “outstanding” by Ofsted have registered an interest.

On Merseyside they include West Derby School; Alsop High School, Walton; Ridgeway High School, Wirral; Pensby High School for Girls, Wirral; St Mary’s Catholic College, Wirral, Prenton High School for Girls, Wirral; Wirral Grammar School for Boys; Wirral Grammar School for Girls; St Anselm’s College, Wirral and Range High School, Formby.

Of the non-outstanding schools, around 100 are Church of England and Catholic schools.